The 29th anniversary Atlantic Cape Community College Restaurant Gala raised $140,000 for student scholarships and Atlantic Cape Foundation operations and featured more than 50 of the region’s top restaurants.

Bally’s Atlantic City hosted the annual fundraiser on March 22 and featured the theme, “Dine Like Royalty.”

The event showcased the talents of the culinary students at the Academy of Culinary Arts, who prepared thousands of sumptuous hot and cold hors d’oeuvres served during cocktail hour.

The Atlantic Cape Foundation honored ACA graduate Chef Deb Pellegrino (1992), who is an executive pastry chef at Harrah’s and Showboat Atlantic City, for her culinary success.

A dessert extravaganza organized by Master Pastry Chef Eugen Ess of Trump Taj Mahal capped off the evening.

Some guests also won Tiffany merchandise through the “Mystery Blue Box” promotion.

The event’s sponsors included Caesars Foundation, Bally’s Atlantic City, Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, The Press of Atlantic City, NBC40, Cape Bank Charitable Foundation, and Fairleigh-Dickinson University.

A 50-50 raffle raised more than $11,000 for college scholarships. The first prize of $6,720 went to Roy Foster of Egg Harbor Township. David Forsman of Seaville won second place and received $3,360. Janet Stepura of Petersburg was the third-place winner and won $1,120.

The 30th anniversary Gala will be held March 21, 2013, at Bally’s Atlantic City.

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